Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

Pork Carnitas are so versatile, everyone needs a staple recipe in their back pocket. This recipe is ridiculously easy, the ultimate “set and forget” slow cooker recipe and the best way to get perfect crunchy brown bits while keeping the inside super moist! Get it right every time – this recipe is no fail!

I am so obsessed with Pork Carnitas because they are incredibly versatile and ridiculously tasty. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and enchiladas, to name a few of the obvious ones. Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing a handful of recipes using leftover Pork Carnitas – including some of these classics but I’ll throw in a few creative ones you may not have thought of!

My favourite way to eat Pork Carnitas is eating it straight – I picked at it constantly the whole time I was taking photos. I took a lot longer than usual to photograph this dish – I really struggled to make it look like pulled pork and to capture the juiciness of the pork.

The prolonged photo session was pure torture for Dozer, my adorable dog. Especially being a golden retriever, a breed that is well known for their love of food. We’re very similar :). He lay down next to the table I was photographing on and did not take his eyes off the plate the whole time I was faffing around with the photos. He doesn’t usually look this alert!

I went through ALOT of Pork Carnitas recipes before settling on this as The One. I’ve been loyal to it for years because it ticks all my boxes:

Easy (of course, goes without saying);

Has enough flavour such that it can be eaten plain;

Subtle enough flavour so it can be used in any Mexican dish (over salting and over spicing is a common problem with many recipes);

Has perfect caramelized brown bits while retaining the incredible juiciness from slow cooking; and

Is still super juicy even after freezing and defrosting.

This Pork Carnitas recipe is super easy – it takes less than 5 minutes to throw the ingredients into a slow cooker. Perfect flavour balance with just the right amount of seasoning.

As for the caramelized brown bits, these are the crowning glory of Pork Carnitas. Pork Carnitas without the brown bits is like sausage rolls without tomato sauce. And I firmly believe that the only way to caramelize pulled pork without compromising the incredible moisture that you get from slow cooked meats is to pan fry it. I’ve seen recipes that broil/grill or bake the pulled pork but doing it that way you lose some of the moisture in the pulled pork.

Key Tip for the BEST Pork Carnitas: Browning in a skillet

Don’t skip the step to brown the pork carnitas! This is the key that makes these pork carnitas the best you will ever have, honestly as good as the best pork carnitas I have ever had outside of Mexico which was at a really authentic Mexican joint called Old Town Mexican Cafe in San Diego.

The other step that many recipes seem to omit (and I can’t figure out why because it’s throwing away free flavour!) is to pour the juices in the slow cooker over the pulled pork while it is being browned. It’s full of flavour and contains most of the seasoning too – without it, the pulled pork on it’s own isn’t salty enough. Just skim off the excess fat, and pour over the meat while it’s browning.

Every time I have made this, the amount of juices I have in the slow cooker is the perfect amount to pour over the meat (about 2 cups) but if your pork was extra juicy (or maybe you used gigantic oranges!) and you have a lot more than that, then it’s best to reduce the juice down to about 2 cups, otherwise you will have too much liquid for the meat and if you don’t use all the juices, it means you aren’t using all the flavour (i.e. the juice you do use has thinner flavour).

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s a staple in my repertoire. I make it often to have on standby in the freezer and it’s also fabulous for entertaining. Think Taco Bar!!

– Nagi

4.93 from 285 votes

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Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

Prep Time

15mins

Cook Time

6hr

Total Time

6hr15mins

{Recipe video below, scale recipe using Servings slider} Pan frying to get the golden brown crunchy bits after the pork is cooked and shredded is not optional! Broiling/grilling will not produce the same results as it dries it out and defeats the purpose of wonderfully moist slow cooked pork. My other "must do" step is to pour the juices in the slow cooker over the pulled pork - this adds so much flavour and makes it even juicier! This makes a lot of pulled pork - enough for 10 to 12 servings. Use the pork for tacos, nachos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas - the possibilities are endless! SCALE recipe by hovering cursor over Servings and sliding. Recipe VIDEO below.

Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the orange.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 6 hours (or 1h 30 m in an electric pressure cooker on high. If using stovetop pressure cooker, please see notes).

The meat should be tender and falling off the bone. Remove from the slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred the pork using two forks.

Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard the fat. Then if you are left with a lot more than 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice, then reduce it (either in the slow cooker on the sauté setting with the lid off, or in a saucepan). The liquid will be SALTY, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set aside.

To Serve

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Place shredded pork into the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Turn and just briefly sear the other side - you don't want to make it brown all over because then it's too crispy, need tender juicy bits.

Repeat in batches (takes me 4 batches) - don't crowd the pan.

Remove pork from skillet. Drizzle over more juices and serve immediately (if you are using defrosted carnitas, this is not applicable as the juices are already on the meat - see Note 4c).

If you are reheating the carnitas (Note 4), then flip and cook the other side briefly just to warm through. I really recommend only making one side crusty and leaving the other side juicy and moist.

Recipe Notes

1. If you are using a piece of pork that is not the size I use, you MUST reduce the salt accordingly. If your pork is more than 1 lb / 0.5 kg larger or smaller than the prescribed size, ensure you adjust the other ingredients accordingly as well, not just the salt.

2. To make this in the oven, add 1 cup of water to the braising liquid. Place in 325F/160C oven for 2 hours, covered, then roast for a further 1 to 1.5 hours uncovered. Add more water if the liquid dries out too much. You should end up with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of liquid when it finishes cooking.

If you make this recipe in the oven, you could skip the pan frying step because you will get a nice brown crust on your pork.

3. Use pork with the skin removed but leaving some of the fat cap on. The fat adds juiciness to the carnitas!

4. Taco Fixing suggestions: Diced avocado or make a real proper Guacamole, Pico de Gallo or Restaurant Style Salsa or even just sliced tomato, grated cheese, sour cream. Sliced lettuce or pickled cabbage / red onions would also be great, but unlike other tacos, you don't need it for the texture because the carnitas have the crispy bits!

5. MAKE AHEAD: a) For overnight or up to 3 days, the best option is to shred the meat without pan frying, keep the juices separate, refrigerate, then pan fry to make it golden and reheat the meat, pouring juices over while it is browning per recipe.

b) To brown the meat ahead, the meat actually holds up pretty well in terms of staying crispy. It's even pretty good refrigerated overnight - but a) is definitely better. Keep the juices separate and pour it over just before reheating the pork. You can reheat in the microwave, quickly reheat in the pan or if you have loads, in a foil covered roasting pan in the oven at 180C/350F for around 8 - 10 minutes.

c) To FREEZE: This holds up great in the freezer. Pour the juices over the pulled pork (pre browning) and store in ziplock bags or airtight containers. Freeze in small batches for convenience. To use, defrost completely before following the recipe to brown the pork.

6. STOVETOP PRESSURE COOKER - use a rack to elevate it from the base OR add 3/4 cup of water. Then once the pork is cooked, remove it then simmer to reduce to around 2 cups of liquid.

7. Nutrition per serving, pork only, assuming 12 servings. This is overstated because it does not take into account the fat that is discarded. Also most pork shoulders purchased from the supermarket and butchers have been trimmed i.e. they don't have a super thick layer of fat on the surface.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas recipe video! NOTE: My Slow Cooker (Breville Fast-Slow Cooker) is multi-functional and is also a pressure cooker, hence why it looks like a pressure cooker with the twisting top. The slow cooking function is no different to any standard slow cooker.

Save this PORK CARNITAS recipe to your MEXICAN Pinterest Board!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pork tenderloin? Sorry to say it’s not suitable for this recipe. Tenderloin is too lean so the long cook time will dry it out. Also, it does not shred into strands well.

Just to confirm – no liquid other than the juice from the oranges?? Really? YES, really. 🙂 The small amount of liquid from the oranges is all you need to keep it from drying out while it comes to temperature, then while it cooks the pork will drop juices. When this finishes cooking you will have more liquid than you started with.

Will it taste of oranges?? ??? Nope, not at all! It magically turns into the most incredible broth that is then poured over the shredded pork.

Can I cook a frozen pork? Please don’t! This will mess with the cook time a lot because it will take sooooo long for the middle of the pork to cook, by which time the outside will be overcooked and when you shred it, it will almost look like mush! The pork must be defrosted!

After I skim off the fat, do I include the onions garlic and jalapeños when topping the meat, or do I discard these and only use the juices? It is up to you! Because it’s been slow cooked, the onion etc is really soft and it just melds into the pulled pork. I don’t bother straining it, but you can if you want to.

Will this work with pork stew chunks? It will definitely work and still be tasty but won’t be quite the same because smaller pieces of pork will cook faster so you won’t get quite the same amount of flavour. 🙂

Just to confirm – no pan frying to brown the pork before putting it in the slow cooker? That’s right! You brown the pork AFTER it is cooked and shredded.

What size slow cooker do you use? Mine is 6 quarts / 6 litres. I use this Breville Fast / Slow Cooker (I’m in Australia) which I love because it’s a pressure cooker and slow cooker in one, plus it has a saute setting!

This is my copycat of the Pork Carnitas Tacos from Old Town Mexican Cafe in San Diego, arguably the BEST pork carnitas in town! Click here for instructions to put together your own Pork Carnitas Taco feast!

Hi Nagi! I love all of your recipes! Thank you so much for taking the time to taste test and perfect and share your recipes. I was wondering for this recipe if I could use the Instant Pot to pressure cook the pork. And if so, for how long and on high or low pressure?
Thanks so much. Looking forward to making this!

I just tried making this recipe for the first time, and it was fantastic. One mistake I did make was leaving the jalapeno seeds in, but I didn’t mind the heat! Will definitely be making this again, thanks for the share 🙂

Old Town Mexican Cafe in Old Town San Diego changed our lives upon visiting them 2 years ago! We now visit them at least twice a year 🙂 Thank you for sharing this recipe! Made it last night and it was fantastic. I’m half mexican and this was my first time making carnitas. Easy peasy with the crockpot and now my family has requested this to the winter comfort food menu.

The orange juice and lime juice combo tenderises them to incredible fall apart tenderness, while the natural sugars in the juices and the coke combined turn what would be just another pulled pork recipe, into crispy heaven with every mouthful.

I was looking for a carnitas recipe and chose yours because it sounded really good. I used a bigger roast, but did not increase any of the other ingredients – and it turned out just fine. The time in the frying pan really makes these. I must say, though, that shredding a large pork roast is something I wouldn’t want to do again, at least for a very long time – I couldn’t’ believe how much energy it too, and I had to have my husband do the second half of it. I love how thorough your instructions are. Hope you are doing well – I’ve been gone from your site for a long time.

Hi, Nagi…just sent hubby to the store to buy the pork. We are going to make this over the weekend and use our Food Saver to package 5 portions in anticipation of making all five of your Mexican recipes . Tomorrow night we’ll make your Greek Slow Roasted Lamb Leg. We LOVE your creative, beautifully photographed recipes and will probably make most of them. We also appreciate the time and effort you spend when testing recipes, writing notes, step-by-step instructions so we get fantabulicious results! So many recipe blogs out there, but yours is special. Your culinary expertise is amazing. I’ve printed so many of your recipes! Thank you!! Rated 5 stars because I know a 5 star recipe when I see one. 🙂
(However…the money we save on meals is slowly being “eaten” by the extra printer ink we’re buying) haha

This is truly amazing! We made this and devoured it on crusty rolls over the weekend. We will only have enough pork left for three Food Saver bags for the freezer. 🙂 Chilled the broth, lifted the fat layer, reduced broth in skillet (added a pinch of cayenne) and ladled the reduction into enough shredded pork for our sandwiches and mixed it up. It was wonderful! Our next meal is going to be a burrito pie. We’ll use refrigerated crescent rolls for the crust, mix some broth into the pork, then blend in some re-fried beans, corn, minced jalapeno pepper and black olives. Shredded cheese on top and then put in the oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and golden brown. This is a recipe I’ve used with ground beef for years, but I think the pork will raise it to a new level. 🙂 Your carnitas recipe is one to play with and enjoy. The only thing I would change is increasing the amount of seasonings and heat…we just like our Mexican dishes a little more “robust”. (And the Greek Lamb was exceptional. The meat was very tender and flavorful!)

Hi, this looks and sounds delicious! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe tonight. The jalapenos don’t make it too spicy, right? I have five boys 2 to 12 and I don’t want the young ones not to be able to eat.

If you want to take the heat out of your peppers, clean the seeds and membrane first then place in a bowl of regular 7-UP (not diet) for about 45 min. If you want NO heat in your peppers, soak for about 2 hours. Don’t drink the soda afterwards!! Ha Ha

Hi Jeff! Hover your mouse over the Servings where it says “10” and slide it down until the pork weight changes to 1 kg 🙂 That will change all the ingredients for you. For cook time, I would say you still need 8 hours in the slow cooker because the width of a 1 kg piece will still be similar to a larger piece. Hope you love! N x

This was so good!! I cooked the pork on Sunday and got it shredded, put it and the juices seperate containers in the refrigerator . Got Home after a long day at work and followed recipe for browning in pan with juices and served it up. It was a huge hit and this recipe is a keeper ! Yum-o

i made this exactly as stated above – was a success. My first time making it too! I used Pork Shoulder – and left it to cook for 8 hours on my slow cooker. Would def. re-use this recipe, thanks! I wish i could show my photos but don’t know how to upload here – in any case, was a success 🙂

I just have to thank you for this deliciousness!
I have made it many times now (for tacos, enchiladas, pulled pork sandwiches) and my family and I love it. The first time, I was looking for recipes for some tenderloins I bought on sale, and I just added another orange’s jjuice. Came out spectacular! I also add the pulp from the oranges… I hate to waste it. It adds to the sweetness when it is pan-fried, and the pulp disintegrates by the time the meat is done. I’ve also used a pork butt, but I had to add to the cooking time.
Making it again tonight for this week’s meal prep and I already know I’ll have to smack a few hands to keep my boys from stealing between meals!
Excellent job, and thanks again.